


Another Time, Another Place

by ladyazura



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Empress Rey, F/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Parenthood, Redeemed Ben Solo, Supreme Leader Kylo Ren
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:02:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21839413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyazura/pseuds/ladyazura
Summary: (A series of oneshots and vignettes.)“My offer still stands. I want you by my side, Rey. Stand with me and I swear to you that we will bring peace and order to the galaxy.”
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 8
Kudos: 67





	1. Choices

**Author's Note:**

> This will be a series of AU and canon-diverging Reylo fics. I hope you enjoy.

He startled awake with a sharp intake of breath, heart racing and head spinning as the world around him slowly came back into focus. The smell of smoke and charred armor assaulted his nose as he took in the sight that greeted him – bodies littering the once pristine floor while pieces of flaming tapestry rained down from above. His gaze lingered on Snoke’s bisected corpse for a moment before he jerked up, eyes darting around frantically in search of –

– there.

Rey’s crumpled body lay several feet away, unmoving. Panic seized Kylo and he struggled to stand, ignoring the pain that lanced through him as he staggered across the room and finally collapsed at her side. He rolled her onto her back and pressed two fingers to her neck, feeling for a pulse. It was faint, but there, and he breathed a sigh of relief as he gathered her in his arms and held her close.

_She tried to kill you._ A dark voice in the back of his mind sneered, making him grit his teeth at the memory of her betrayal. _She’s no better than Skywalker._

Consumed with the emotions at war within him, he didn’t notice a third presence step into the throne room until the hairs on the back of his neck stood, and a familiar voice rang out.

“What. _Happened_.”

Kylo didn’t answer at first. Instead he took the time to brush the debris from Rey’s face, mindful of the bruise blossoming near her temple, before finally deigning the general with a response. “The Supreme Leader is dead.”

He didn’t have to look to know that Hux’s was growing redder by the second, to know that he was _barely_ maintaining his composure.

“I CAN SEE THAT, REN!”

“Good to know your eyesight is still in tact, General.” Kylo said, hooking one arm under Rey’s knees and supporting her back with the other while he stood slowly and turned to the other man. “Have our forces pull out and set a course for Coruscant.”

Hux was practically seething at this point.

“You dare command _my_ army –”

With a pinch of his thumb and forefinger, Kylo had the general on his knees in seconds, clawing at the invisible hand that had snaked around his neck, cutting off his air supply.

“Perhaps I haven’t made myself clear – _I’m_ Supreme Leader now.” He said calmly, silently reveling in the redhead’s growing distress. “If you have trouble accepting that, just remember that there are plenty of officers aboard this ship who would _gladly_ take your place.” Just as the other man was about to lose consciousness, he released his hold. Still clutching at his neck, Hux fell forward, coughing and gasping, visibly shaken. “Do I make myself clear, General?”

“Yes… Supreme… Leader…” the redhead managed to grit out.

“Good.” Adjusting Rey’s body once more so that she fit comfortably against him, he strode past the other man, pausing only when he reached the somehow still functioning turbolift and nodding toward the bisected remains of his fallen master. “Have that disposed of, then report to me on the _Finalizer_.”

“What of the girl?” Hux asked as he rose to his feet.

“What of her?” Kylo countered, keeping his voice even and face neutral.

“Shall I have a cell prepared?”

“That won’t be necessary. She’ll be staying in my quarters, under my supervision.” Kylo answered smoothly.

Without another word, he stepped into the turbolift, leaving the general to deal with the mess he and Rey left behind.

oOo

She awoke to the gentle whir of a ship engine. It was a soothing sound that made Rey reluctant to open her eyes, and instead want to bury her head in the soft surface beneath her head and drift off once more, but something brushed against her mind, tugging at her consciousness until she finally relented. Bleary eyes flickered open only to be greeted by the bleak, monochromatic surroundings of a Star Destroyer.

When she tried to sit up, she winced as a twinge of pain shot through her arm, and glanced down to see that her bicep had been dressed. As she brushed her fingers against it, her memories came flooding back and she remembered _everything_ that had transpired between her and Ben. She remembered going to him, foolishly believing she could turn the tide of the war with him at her side; the agony of Snoke inside her head, the elation when Ben finally struck him down, the adrenaline that raced through her veins as they fought together as one.

Only for her hope to shatter.

_“Rey… I want you to join me… we can rule together and bring a new order to the galaxy!”_

A hand.

An offering.

  
A place to belong, at his side, where she wouldn’t be alone ever again.

**_Power_ ** **.**

_But_ … it came at a price.

One she couldn’t accept, and the last thing she could recall seeing was a blinding white light.

She trembled as she sat up, clutching the black cloak that had been draped over her body. Her legs were unsteady as she stood and made her way over to the viewport across the room. As she peered out, she saw no sign of the transports, or the _Raddus_. Her stomach dropped, a wave of dizziness and nausea washing over her as tears pricked her eyes, blurring her vision.

_They were gone_.

“Not yet.” A deep voice sounded behind her, snapping Rey out of her grief.

She didn’t know how long Ben had been standing there, half-hidden in the shadows. Had he been there the whole time? Had he watched over her while she slept? She started toward him only to falter when she noticed his face. Impassive. Unreadable. But there was no hiding the fury burning in his eyes as he stared at her from across the room, and Rey found herself shrinking back, wrapping the cape – Ben’s cape, she realized – more tightly around herself.

As if it would protect her.

“Where am I?” She asked quietly.

She knew she was on a Star Destroyer, but this was a far cry from a prison cell and didn’t look anything like the interrogation chamber she’d found herself in on Starkiller Base.

“My quarters.” Ben answered in a clipped tone. “For the time being. It’s only temporary, until we reach our destination.”

“Which is?”

“Coruscant.”

Rey’s brow furrowed. “What’s on Coruscant?”

“It once served as the Imperial Capital under the Emperor’s reign. With Hosnian Prime gone, it will do so again.”

“The Resistance won’t –” Ben cut her off sharply.

“What _remains_ of the Resistance is holed up on the planet Crait, in a dilapidated rebel base, with dwindling supplies, little manpower and _no_ reinforcements coming to their aid.” He spat, striding across the room until he was mere centimeters away. Under his intense gaze, Rey suddenly felt small, and fought the urge to avert her eyes. Ben stared at her for a moment, jaw clenching and unclenching as he struggled to maintain his composure.

When he finally did, he looked away as he spoke. “You’ll be happy to know that I called off the attack. Your precious _Resistance_ lives to see another day – for now. But know that will be the only mercy I show them.”

Rey opened her mouth only to close it, struggling to find a proper response as she tried to make sense of his decision.

_Why haven’t you already killed them yet?_ She wanted to ask, but words failed her.

It turned out she didn’t need to ask out loud when she was practically projecting her thoughts, when his gaze seized hers once more.

“You know why.” He said quietly, eyes boring into hers.

It hit her: he spared them for her. _Because_ of her. The realization made her head spin and her heart race, so much so that she had to take a step back and turn away. She found herself looking out at the stars once more, trying desperately to make sense of his actions.

“So what now?” She asked, once she found her voice. “Am I your hostage? Bargaining chip?”

From the reflection in the window, she could see Ben move closer, the corner of his mouth twitching into something of a wry smile, and felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise.

“My offer still stands. I want you by my side, Rey. Stand with me and I swear to you that we _will_ bring peace and order to the galaxy.”

“ _How_?” Rey whipped around angrily, glaring up at him. “By destroying anyone who opposes us? Obliterating entire worlds if they refuse to yield to the First Order?”

“If it works… yes.” Ben confirmed. “The galaxy has been festering with corruption for centuries. What happened to Hosnian Prime was a disgrace but the New Republic was _far_ from innocent. There’s a reason my mother was never able to accomplish anything during her time in the Senate – why places like Jakku were allowed to go unchecked.”

Rey stiffened, her throat tightening as memories of her childhood, of waiting day and night for a family that never intended to return for her, that _sold_ her, replayed in her mind. She blinked back her tears and tried to turn away so he couldn’t see them, but leather-clad hands grasped her shoulders firmly. Ben wasn’t finished.

“Do you think they didn’t know what was going on? That its inhabitants lived in squalor, slaving away for meager scraps –”

“Stop –”

“– and _still_ , the New Republic did nothing. They turned a blind eye to it, just as they did to the child labor on Canto Bight, the poverty on Hays Minor, the skin trade, the very _rise_ of the First Order which those sycophants in the Senate were _all too happy_ to let –”

“ _Enough_ , Ben. You’ve made your point.” She said hollowly, shrugging his hands off and making her way back over to the bed to sit down before her legs could give out.

“You’re upset.”

She snorted, but didn’t deign him with a response even as he crossed the room to kneel in front of her. She eyed him warily.

“I can’t do this alone. Please, just… stay with me.” He begged, taking her hands in his. “Help me make the galaxy a better place. You’ll want for nothing. You’ll never be alone again. I’ll do anything.”

Rey said nothing as she tried to weigh the pros and cons in her mind. She had already been tempted to accept his offer before; though they had only known each other for a few days, he really was the only person in the galaxy who understood her, and she him. It was a strange kinship, but comforting. Still, agreeing to stay would mean betraying the Resistance – the people who were counting on her to turn the tide of the war. On the other hand, if she – if _they_ could change the First Order from the inside…

“Rey?”

She blinked, snapping out of her reverie and looked down at Ben who waited expectantly for her reply.

“Okay. I’ll help you.” She could feel her heart hammering against her chest as she spoke, but somehow managed to keep her voice steady. “But I have… conditions.”

An array of emotion flickered across Ben’s face, from shock and disbelief, to suspicion, to finally acceptance. “Anything.”

“My friends are left alone.”

Ben closed his eyes, jaw clenching and fingers curling. “You’re still holding on.”

“ _Anything_ , Ben.” She reminded him.

A moment passed before his shoulders slumped in defeat and he nodded stiffly. He released her hands but remained where he was, kneeling before her and if she were perfectly honest with herself, she quite liked the sight of him him on his knees. It made something inside her coil in delight, but she quickly shook that thought from her mind, hoping Ben hadn’t caught that train of thought. 

“Thank you.” She said quietly, breaking the silence that had fallen over them.

“They don’t deserve you.”

“Do you?” She countered before she could stop herself.

Ben let out a humorless laugh.

“No.” He said, before peering back up at her. “Any other requests?”

“We make decisions together. We’re equals in this. I’m not some subordinate you can just… boss around.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” The corner of his mouth twitched, as if he was fighting back a smile. He stood slowly, peeling off his right glove before extending a pale hand, just as he had done in Snoke’s throne room.

Without breaking eye contact, she took it.


	2. Little Star

It’s still dark out when Ben opens his eyes, the only source of light coming from the moon spilling in through the open window, casting the room in a pale glow. Beside him, his wife shifts slightly, tugging the rest of their blanket toward her until there’s nothing left for him. He doesn’t mind. His blood runs hot, and the cool breeze feels nice on his skin. He slips out of bed quietly, careful not to disturb Rey’s slumber, and tiptoes out onto the balcony overlooking the lake.

Naboo as a whole is a beautiful planet, but Varykino is especially breathtaking, surrounded by lush mountains and crystal clear waterfalls. It’s quiet and peaceful; the perfect place to raise their family. They had considered his own home world, but Chandrila brought back too many painful memories of being alone with nothing but the voices in his head, left in the care of nanny droids while his father went off on wild adventures with Chewie and his mother tried to rebuild the Republic.

He could have inherited the planet Birren, if he had wanted, but he had no desire to rule over anything. His brief stint as Supreme Leader had exhausted him of conspiring officers, power-hungry senators and groveling sycophants. Besides, as far as the rest of the galaxy is concerned, Kylo Ren is dead, and only a select few know otherwise.

Soft, incoherent babbling draws his attention to the nursery attached to their room, and the corner of his mouth quirks upward slightly as he realizes he’s not the only one awake.

When he enters, he finds his daughter standing up in her crib, pudgy hand stretched out between the bars and fingers curled. He follows her gaze and spots a familiar Tooka doll on the floor nearby before glancing back. She puffs out her cheeks. The doll twitches before going still once more. Ben smirks, and, flicking his wrist ever so slightly, the doll rises up and glides back into Shmi’s eager arms.

It’s then that he makes his presence known to her.

“What are you doing up so late, little star?”

Shmi blinks up at him innocently. “Playing.”

“Playing?”

“Uh-huh. Make fly!” She thrusts the Tooka doll up, grinning from ear to ear.

He lifts the toddler out of her crib, cradling her on his hip. “Oh, did you now?”

“Yep!” She declares proudly.

His daughter looks nothing like him. She has Rey’s nose and freckles, her dark curls a few shades lighter than his own, but her eyes – big brown orbs that seem to stare right into his soul – are his undoubtedly his mother’s.

His throat tightens and he closes his eyes momentarily, trying not to think about the woman who never got to meet her granddaughter. A small hand touches the side of his face and when he reopens his eyes, Shmi is tilting her head in confusion.

“Why Daddy sad?”

“Daddy’s not sad. Daddy’s the happiest he’s ever been, because he has you and Mommy.” Ben assures her, kissing her forehead.

When she’s older, he’ll tell her everything – the good and the bad. There will be no secrets, no lies.

“I think it’s time for sleep, don’t you?”

Shmi makes a pouting face but doesn’t protest as he lays her back down and drapes her blanket over her.

“‘Night-night, Daddy.”

“Goodnight, little star.”

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to leave a comment or review! Constructive criticism is always welcome!


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